U.S. patent number 10,720,530 [Application Number 16/196,832] was granted by the patent office on 2020-07-21 for semiconductor device and methods of forming same.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.. The grantee listed for this patent is Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.. Invention is credited to Shih-Chieh Chang, Yi-Min Huang, Chih-Yu Ma, Shahaji B. More.
![](/patent/grant/10720530/US10720530-20200721-D00000.png)
![](/patent/grant/10720530/US10720530-20200721-D00001.png)
![](/patent/grant/10720530/US10720530-20200721-D00002.png)
![](/patent/grant/10720530/US10720530-20200721-D00003.png)
![](/patent/grant/10720530/US10720530-20200721-D00004.png)
![](/patent/grant/10720530/US10720530-20200721-D00005.png)
![](/patent/grant/10720530/US10720530-20200721-D00006.png)
![](/patent/grant/10720530/US10720530-20200721-D00007.png)
![](/patent/grant/10720530/US10720530-20200721-D00008.png)
![](/patent/grant/10720530/US10720530-20200721-D00009.png)
![](/patent/grant/10720530/US10720530-20200721-D00010.png)
View All Diagrams
United States Patent |
10,720,530 |
Ma , et al. |
July 21, 2020 |
Semiconductor device and methods of forming same
Abstract
A device includes a fin extending from a substrate, a gate stack
over and along sidewalls of the fin, a gate spacer along a sidewall
of the gate stack, and an epitaxial source/drain region in the fin
and adjacent the gate spacer. The epitaxial source/drain region
includes a first epitaxial layer on the fin, the first epitaxial
layer including silicon, germanium, and arsenic, and a second
epitaxial layer on the first epitaxial layer, the second epitaxial
layer including silicon and phosphorus, the first epitaxial layer
separating the second epitaxial layer from the fin. The epitaxial
source/drain region further includes a third epitaxial layer on the
second epitaxial layer, the third epitaxial layer including
silicon, germanium, and phosphorus.
Inventors: |
Ma; Chih-Yu (Hsinchu,
TW), More; Shahaji B. (Hsinchu, TW), Huang;
Yi-Min (Tainan, TW), Chang; Shih-Chieh (Taipei,
TW) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. |
Hsinchu |
N/A |
TW |
|
|
Assignee: |
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing
Company, Ltd. (Hsinchu, TW)
|
Family
ID: |
69946607 |
Appl.
No.: |
16/196,832 |
Filed: |
November 20, 2018 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20200105934 A1 |
Apr 2, 2020 |
|
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
62737770 |
Sep 27, 2018 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L
29/7848 (20130101); H01L 27/0924 (20130101); H01L
29/785 (20130101); H01L 29/167 (20130101); H01L
29/0847 (20130101); H01L 21/823821 (20130101); H01L
29/6681 (20130101); H01L 21/823864 (20130101); H01L
29/66545 (20130101); H01L 29/7851 (20130101); H01L
29/66795 (20130101); H01L 29/165 (20130101); H01L
29/161 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01L
29/78 (20060101); H01L 21/8238 (20060101); H01L
27/092 (20060101); H01L 21/82 (20060101); H01L
29/08 (20060101); H01L 29/66 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;257/288 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Harrison; Monica D
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Slater Matsil, LLP
Parent Case Text
PRIORITY
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 62/737,770 filed Sep. 27, 2018, and entitled
"Semiconductor Device and Methods of Forming Same," which
application is incorporated herein by reference.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method comprising: depositing a dummy gate over and along
sidewalls of a fin extending upwards from a substrate; forming a
gate spacer along a sidewall of the dummy gate; forming a recess in
the fin adjacent the gate spacer; and forming a source/drain region
in the recess, the forming of the source/drain region comprising:
forming a first layer in the recess, the first layer comprising
silicon doped with a first concentration of germanium and a first
concentration of a first n-type dopant; and epitaxially growing a
second layer on the first layer, the second layer comprising
silicon doped with a concentration of a second n-type dopant,
wherein the second n-type dopant is different than the first n-type
dopant, wherein the second layer has a second concentration of
germanium that is less than the first concentration of germanium,
wherein the second layer has a second concentration of the first
n-type dopant that is less than the first concentration of the
first n-type dopant, and wherein the first layer separates the
second layer from the fin.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first layer further comprises
gallium.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first n-type dopant is
arsenic.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second n-type dopant is
phosphorus.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises the
second n-type dopant, and wherein a first concentration of the
second n-type dopant at a top surface of the first layer is greater
than a second concentration of the second n-type dopant at a bottom
surface of the first layer.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising epitaxially growing a
third layer on the second layer, the third layer having a different
material composition than the first layer, the third layer
comprising silicon doped with the second n-type dopant.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the third layer further comprises
germanium.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein a concentration of the second
n-type dopant in the third layer is greater than the concentration
of the second n-type dopant in the second layer.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the first layer in the
recess comprises implanting the first n-type dopant into sidewalls
of the recess.
10. A method comprising: forming a dummy gate over and along
sidewalls of a fin extending upwards from a substrate; forming a
gate spacer along a sidewall of the dummy gate; anisotropically
etching a recess in the fin adjacent the gate spacer; epitaxially
growing a source/drain region in the recess, comprising: growing a
first doped silicon layer lining the recess, the first doped
silicon layer comprising a germanium dopant and a first n-type
dopant; and growing a second doped silicon layer on the first doped
silicon layer, the second doped silicon layer comprising a second
n-type dopant that is different from the first n-type dopant,
wherein a portion of the second doped silicon layer is free of the
first n-type dopant; and replacing the dummy gate with a functional
gate stack disposed over and along sidewalls of the fin.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first doped silicon layer
comprises between 0.5% and 2% germanium.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first n-type dopant is
arsenic and the second n-type dopant is phosphorus.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein epitaxially growing the
source/drain region further comprises growing a third doped silicon
layer on the second doped silicon layer, the third doped silicon
layer comprising the second n-type dopant.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the third doped silicon layer
further comprises a germanium dopant.
15. The method of claim 10, wherein epitaxially growing the
source/drain region further comprises growing a fourth doped
silicon layer, wherein the fourth doped silicon layer comprises a
first concentration of the second n-type dopant that is greater
than a second concentration of the second n-type dopant in the
second doped silicon layer.
16. A device comprising: a fin extending from a substrate; a gate
stack over and along sidewalls of the fin; a gate spacer along a
sidewall of the gate stack; and an epitaxial source/drain region in
the fin and adjacent the gate spacer, the epitaxial source/drain
region comprising: a first epitaxial layer on the fin, the first
epitaxial layer comprising silicon, germanium, and arsenic; a
second epitaxial layer on the first epitaxial layer, the second
epitaxial layer comprising silicon and phosphorus, the first
epitaxial layer separating the second epitaxial layer from the fin;
and a third epitaxial layer on the second epitaxial layer, the
third epitaxial layer comprising silicon, germanium, and
phosphorus.
17. The device of claim 16, wherein the epitaxial source/drain
region further comprises a fourth epitaxial layer on the third
epitaxial layer and further comprises a fifth epitaxial layer on
the fourth epitaxial layer, wherein the fourth epitaxial layer
comprises silicon and phosphorus, and wherein the fifth epitaxial
layer comprises silicon and germanium.
18. The device of claim 17, wherein the third epitaxial layer, the
fourth epitaxial layer, and the fifth epitaxial layer have a
concentration of arsenic that is less than that of the first
epitaxial layer.
19. The device of claim 16, wherein the first epitaxial layer has
an atomic concentration of germanium in a range from 0.5% to
2%.
20. The device of claim 16, wherein the third epitaxial layer has
an atomic concentration of germanium that is greater than that of
the second layer.
Description
BACKGROUND
Semiconductor devices are used in a variety of electronic
applications, such as, for example, personal computers, cell
phones, digital cameras, and other electronic equipment.
Semiconductor devices are typically fabricated by sequentially
depositing insulating or dielectric layers, conductive layers, and
semiconductor layers of material over a semiconductor substrate,
and patterning the various material layers using lithography to
form circuit components and elements thereon.
The semiconductor industry continues to improve the integration
density of various electronic components (e.g., transistors,
diodes, resistors, capacitors, etc.) by continual reductions in
minimum feature size, which allow more components to be integrated
into a given area. However, as the minimum features sizes are
reduced, additional problems arise that should be addressed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Aspects of the present disclosure are best understood from the
following detailed description when read with the accompanying
figures. It is noted that, in accordance with the standard practice
in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact,
the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased
or reduced for clarity of discussion.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a FinFET in a three-dimensional
view, in accordance with some embodiments.
FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8A, 8B, 9A, and 9B, are cross-sectional
views of intermediate stages in the manufacturing of FinFETs, in
accordance with some embodiments.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of forming a recess in the
source/drain region of a fin in an intermediate stage in the
manufacturing of FinFETs, in accordance with some embodiments.
FIGS. 11 and 12 are cross-sectional views of forming epitaxial
source/drain regions in intermediate stages in the manufacturing of
FinFETs, in accordance with some embodiments.
FIG. 13 is an illustration of a dopant profile of an epitaxial
source/drain region of a FinFET, in accordance with some
embodiments.
FIGS. 14A, 14B, 15A, 15B, 16A, 16B, 17A, 17B, 18A, 18B, 19A, 19B,
20A, and 20B are cross-sectional views of intermediate stages in
the manufacturing of FinFETs, in accordance with some
embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or
examples, for implementing different features of the invention.
Specific examples of components and arrangements are described
below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course,
merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. For example,
the formation of a first feature over or on a second feature in the
description that follows may include embodiments in which the first
and second features are formed in direct contact, and may also
include embodiments in which additional features may be formed
between the first and second features, such that the first and
second features may not be in direct contact. In addition, the
present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in
the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of
simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a
relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations
discussed.
Further, spatially relative terms, such as "beneath," "below,"
"lower," "above," "upper" and the like, may be used herein for ease
of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to
another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. The
spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different
orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the
orientation depicted in the figures. The apparatus may be otherwise
oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the
spatially relative descriptors used herein may likewise be
interpreted accordingly.
Various embodiments are discussed herein in a particular context,
namely, forming epitaxial source/drain regions in an n-type FinFET
transistor. However, various embodiments may be applied to other
semiconductor devices/processes, such as planar transistors. In
some embodiments, the epitaxial source/drain regions described
herein includes a bottom layer of silicon-germanium (SiGe) doped
with arsenic (As). In some cases, the presence of Ge allows for an
increased concentration of activated As dopants. Additionally, the
presence of As in the bottom layer can block other dopants from
diffusing into other regions of the FinFET.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a FinFET in a three-dimensional
view, in accordance with some embodiments. The FinFET comprises a
fin 58 on a substrate 50 (e.g., a semiconductor substrate).
Isolation regions 56 are disposed in the substrate 50, and the fin
58 protrudes above and from between neighboring isolation regions
56. Although the isolation regions 56 are described/illustrated as
being separate from the substrate 50, as used herein the term
"substrate" may be used to refer to just the semiconductor
substrate or a semiconductor substrate inclusive of isolation
regions. A gate dielectric layer 92 is along sidewalls and over a
top surface of the fin 58, and a gate electrode 94 is over the gate
dielectric layer 92. Source/drain regions 82 are disposed in
opposite sides of the fin 58 with respect to the gate dielectric
layer 92 and gate electrode 94. FIG. 1 further illustrates
reference cross-sections that are used in later figures.
Cross-section A-A is along a longitudinal axis of the gate
electrode 94 and in a direction, for example perpendicular to the
direction of current flow between the source/drain regions 82 of
the FinFET. Cross-section B-B is perpendicular to cross-section A-A
and is along a longitudinal axis of the fin 58 and in a direction
of, for example, a current flow between the source/drain regions 82
of the FinFET. Cross-section C-C is parallel to cross-section A-A
and extends through a source/drain region of the FinFET. Subsequent
figures refer to these reference cross-sections for clarity.
Some embodiments discussed herein are discussed in the context of
FinFETs formed using a gate-last process. In other embodiments, a
gate-first process may be used. Also, some embodiments contemplate
aspects used in planar devices, such as planar FETs.
FIGS. 2 through 12 and 14A-20B are cross-sectional views of
intermediate stages in the manufacturing of FinFETs, in accordance
with some embodiments. FIGS. 2 through 12 illustrate reference
cross-section A-A illustrated in FIG. 1, except for multiple
fins/FinFETs. In FIGS. 8A through 9B and FIGS. 15A through 20B,
figures ending with an "A" designation are illustrated along
reference cross-section A-A illustrated in FIG. 1, and figures
ending with a "B" designation are illustrated along a similar
cross-section B-B illustrated in FIG. 1, except for multiple
fins/FinFETs. FIGS. 14A and 14B are illustrated along reference
cross-section C-C illustrated in FIG. 1, except for multiple
fins/FinFETs.
In FIG. 2, a substrate 50 is provided. The substrate 50 may be a
semiconductor substrate, such as a bulk semiconductor, a
semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, or the like, which may
be doped (e.g., with a p-type or an n-type dopant) or undoped. The
substrate 50 may be a wafer, such as a silicon wafer. Generally, an
SOI substrate is a layer of a semiconductor material formed on an
insulator layer. The insulator layer may be, for example, a buried
oxide (BOX) layer, a silicon oxide layer, or the like. The
insulator layer is provided on a substrate, typically a silicon
substrate or a glass substrate. Other substrates, such as a
multi-layered or gradient substrate may also be used. In some
embodiments, the semiconductor material of the substrate 50 may
include silicon; germanium; a compound semiconductor including
silicon carbide, gallium arsenic, gallium phosphide, indium
phosphide, indium arsenide, and/or indium antimonide; an alloy
semiconductor including SiGe, GaAsP, AlInAs, AlGaAs, GaInAs, GaInP,
and/or GaInAsP; or combinations thereof.
Different regions of the substrate 50 can be used be for forming
n-type devices, such as NMOS transistors (e.g., n-type FinFETs) or
for forming p-type devices, such as PMOS transistors (e.g., p-type
FinFETs). Regions of the substrate 50 in which n-type devices or
p-type devices are formed are respectively referred to herein as
"NMOS regions" or "PMOS regions." FIGS. 2-20B illustrate an NMOS
region of the substrate 50, though, as described below, FIGS. 2-10
may also be applicable to PMOS regions of the substrate 50.
Different regions (e.g., NMOS regions and/or PMOS regions) of the
substrate 50 may be physically separated, and any number of device
features (e.g., other active devices, doped regions, isolation
structures, etc.) may be disposed between different regions.
In FIG. 3, fins 58 are formed in the substrate 50. The fins 58 may
be, for example, semiconductor strips. In some embodiments, the
fins 58 may be formed in the substrate 50 by etching trenches in
the substrate 50. The etching may be any acceptable etch process,
such as a reactive ion etch (RIE), neutral beam etch (NBE), the
like, or a combination thereof. The etch may be anisotropic.
The fins may be patterned by any suitable method. For example, the
fins may be patterned using one or more photolithography processes,
including double-patterning or multi-patterning processes.
Generally, double-patterning or multi-patterning processes combine
photolithography and self-aligned processes, allowing patterns to
be created that have, for example, pitches smaller than what is
otherwise obtainable using a single, direct photolithography
process. For example, in one embodiment, a sacrificial layer is
formed over a substrate and patterned using a photolithography
process. Spacers are formed alongside the patterned sacrificial
layer using a self-aligned process. The sacrificial layer is then
removed, and the remaining spacers may then be used to pattern the
fins.
In FIG. 4, an insulation material 54 is formed over the substrate
50 and between neighboring fins 58. The insulation material 54 may
be an oxide, such as silicon oxide, a nitride, the like, or a
combination thereof, and may be formed by a high density plasma
chemical vapor deposition (HDP-CVD), a flowable CVD (FCVD) (e.g., a
CVD-based material deposition in a remote plasma system and post
curing to make it convert to another material, such as an oxide),
the like, or a combination thereof. Other insulation materials
formed by any acceptable process may be used. In the illustrated
embodiment, the insulation material 54 is silicon oxide formed by a
FCVD process. An anneal process may be performed once the
insulation material is formed. In an embodiment, the insulation
material 54 is formed such that excess insulation material 54
covers the fins 58.
In FIG. 5, a planarization process is applied to the insulation
material 54. In some embodiments, the planarization process
includes a chemical mechanical polish (CMP), an etch-back process,
combinations thereof, or the like. The planarization process
exposes the fins 58. Top surfaces of the fins 58 and the insulation
material 54 are level after the planarization process is
complete.
In FIG. 6, the insulation material 54 is recessed to form Shallow
Trench Isolation (STI) regions 56. The insulation material 54 is
recessed such that fins 58 protrude from between neighboring STI
regions 56. Further, the top surfaces of the STI regions 56 may
have a flat surface as illustrated, a convex surface, a concave
surface (such as dishing), or a combination thereof. The top
surfaces of the STI regions 56 may be formed flat, convex, and/or
concave by an appropriate etch. The STI regions 56 may be recessed
using an acceptable etching process, such as one that is selective
to the material of the insulation material 54.
The process described with respect to FIGS. 2 through 6 is just one
example of how the fins 58 may be formed. In some embodiments, a
dielectric layer can be formed over a top surface of the substrate
50; trenches can be etched through the dielectric layer;
homoepitaxial structures can be epitaxially grown in the trenches;
and the dielectric layer can be recessed such that the
homoepitaxial structures protrude from the dielectric layer to form
fins. In some embodiments, heteroepitaxial structures can be used
for the fins 58. For example, the fins 58 in FIG. 5 can be
recessed, and a material different from the fins 58 may be
epitaxially grown in their place. In an even further embodiment, a
dielectric layer can be formed over a top surface of the substrate
50; trenches can be etched through the dielectric layer;
heteroepitaxial structures can be epitaxially grown in the trenches
using a material different from the substrate 50; and the
dielectric layer can be recessed such that the heteroepitaxial
structures protrude from the dielectric layer to form the fins 58.
In some embodiments where homoepitaxial or heteroepitaxial
structures are epitaxially grown, the grown materials may be in
situ doped during growth, which may obviate prior and subsequent
implantations although in situ and implantation doping may be used
together. Still further, it may be advantageous to epitaxially grow
a material in an NMOS region different from the material in a PMOS
region. In various embodiments, the fins 58 may be formed from
silicon germanium (Si.sub.xGe.sub.1-x, where x can be in the range
of 0 to 1), silicon carbide, pure or substantially pure germanium,
a III-V compound semiconductor, a II-VI compound semiconductor, or
the like. For example, the available materials for forming III-V
compound semiconductor include, but are not limited to, InAs, AlAs,
GaAs, InP, GaN, InGaAs, InAlAs, GaSb, AlSb, AlP, GaP, and the
like.
Further in FIG. 6, appropriate wells (not shown) may be formed in
the fins 58 and/or the substrate 50. In some embodiments, P-wells
may be formed in NMOS regions and N-wells may be formed in one or
more different PMOS regions. In the embodiments with different well
types, the different implant steps for different regions may be
achieved using a photoresist or other masks (not shown). For
example, a photoresist may be formed over the fins 58 and the STI
regions 56. The photoresist is then patterned to expose another
region of the substrate 50, such as one or more PMOS regions. The
photoresist can be formed by using a spin-on technique and can be
patterned using acceptable photolithography techniques. Once the
photoresist is patterned, an n-type impurity implant is performed
in the PMOS regions, and the photoresist may act as a mask to
substantially prevent n-type impurities from being implanted into
other regions, such as the NMOS region shown in FIG. 6 or other
NMOS regions. The n-type impurities may be phosphorus, arsenic, or
the like implanted in the region to a concentration of equal to or
less than 10.sup.18 cm.sup.-3, such as between about 1017 cm.sup.-3
and about 10.sup.18 cm.sup.-. After the implant, the photoresist is
removed, such as by an acceptable ashing process.
Following the implanting of the PMOS region, a photoresist is
formed over the fins 58 and the STI regions 56. The photoresist is
patterned to expose NMOS regions of the substrate 50, such as the
NMOS region shown in FIG. 6 or another NMOS region. The photoresist
can be formed by using a spin-on technique and can be patterned
using acceptable photolithography techniques. Once the photoresist
is patterned, a p-type impurity implant may be performed in the
NMOS regions, and the photoresist may act as a mask to
substantially prevent p-type impurities from being implanted into
the PMOS regions. The p-type impurities may be boron, BF.sub.2, or
the like implanted in the region to a concentration of equal to or
less than 10.sup.18 cm.sup.-3, such as between about 10.sup.17
cm.sup.-3 and about 10.sup.18 cm.sup.-3. After the implant, the
photoresist may be removed, such as by an acceptable ashing
process.
After the implants, an anneal may be performed to activate the
p-type and/or n-type impurities that were implanted. In some
embodiments, the grown materials of epitaxial fins may be in situ
doped during growth, which may obviate the implantations, although
in situ and implantation doping may be used together.
In FIG. 7, a dummy dielectric layer 60 is formed on the fins 58.
The dummy dielectric layer 60 may be, for example, an oxide (e.g.,
silicon oxide), a nitride (e.g., silicon nitride), a combination
thereof, or the like, and may be deposited or thermally grown
according to acceptable techniques. A dummy gate layer 62 is formed
over the dummy dielectric layer 60 and the STI regions 56, and a
mask layer 64 is formed over the dummy gate layer 62. The dummy
gate layer 62 may be deposited over the dummy dielectric layer 60
and then planarized, such as by a CMP. The mask layer 64 may be
deposited over the dummy gate layer 62. The dummy gate layer 62 may
be a conductive material and may be selected from a group including
polycrystalline-silicon (polysilicon), poly-crystalline
silicon-germanium (poly-SiGe), metallic nitrides, metallic
silicides, metallic oxides, and metals. In one embodiment,
amorphous silicon is deposited and recrystallized to create
polysilicon. The dummy gate layer 62 may be deposited by physical
vapor deposition (PVD), CVD, sputter deposition, or other
techniques known and used in the art for depositing conductive
materials. The dummy gate layer 62 may be made of other materials
that have a high etching selectivity from the etching of isolation
regions. The mask layer 64 may include, for example, an oxide
(e.g., silicon oxide), a nitride (e.g., silicon nitride), SiON,
other materials, the like, or multilayers thereof. In this example,
a single dummy gate layer 62 and a single mask layer 64 are formed
across both NMOS regions and PMOS regions. In some embodiments,
separate dummy gate layers may be formed in NMOS regions and PMOS
regions, and separate mask layers may be formed in NMOS regions and
PMOS regions.
FIGS. 8A through 16B illustrate various additional steps in the
manufacturing of embodiment devices. In FIGS. 8A and 8B, the mask
layer 64 may be patterned using acceptable photolithography and
etching techniques to form masks 74. The pattern of the masks 74
then may be transferred to the dummy gate layer 62 and the dummy
dielectric layer 60 by an acceptable etching technique to form
dummy gates 72. The dummy gates 72 cover respective channel regions
of the fins 58. The pattern of the masks 74 may be used to
physically separate each of the dummy gates 72 from adjacent dummy
gates. The dummy gates 72 may also have a lengthwise direction
substantially perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of
respective epitaxial fins 58.
Further in FIGS. 8A and 8B, gate seal spacers 80 can be formed on
exposed surfaces of the dummy gates 72, the masks 74, and/or the
fins 58. A thermal oxidation or a deposition followed by an
anisotropic etch may form the gate seal spacers 80.
After the formation of the gate seal spacers 80, implants for
lightly doped source/drain (LDD) regions (not explicitly
illustrated) may be performed. In the embodiments with different
device types, similar to the implants discussed above in FIG. 6, a
mask, such as a photoresist, may be formed over a first region,
while exposing a second region, and appropriate type (e.g., n-type
or p-type) impurities may be implanted into the exposed fins 58 in
the second region. The mask may then be removed. Subsequently, a
mask, such as a photoresist, may be formed over the second region
while exposing the first region, and appropriate type impurities
may be implanted into the exposed fins 58 in the first region. The
mask may then be removed. The n-type impurities may be the any of
the n-type impurities previously discussed, and the p-type
impurities may be the any of the p-type impurities previously
discussed. The lightly doped source/drain regions may have a
concentration of impurities of from about 10.sup.15 cm.sup.-3 to
about 10.sup.16 cm.sup.-3. An anneal may be used to activate the
implanted impurities.
In FIGS. 9A and 9B, gate spacers 86 are formed on the gate seal
spacers 80 along sidewalls of the dummy gates 72 and the masks 74.
The gate spacers 86 may be formed by conformally depositing a
material and subsequently anisotropically etching the material. The
material of the gate spacers 86 may be silicon nitride, SiCN, a
combination thereof, or the like.
In FIGS. 10-12, epitaxial source/drain regions 82 are formed in the
fins 58 according to some embodiments. FIGS. 10-12 are illustrated
along reference cross-section B-B, and show the formation of an
epitaxial source/drain region 82 in a fin 58 between neighboring
dummy gates 72. The epitaxial source/drain regions 82 are formed in
the fins 58 such that each dummy gate 72 is disposed between
respective neighboring pairs of the epitaxial source/drain regions
82. In some embodiments, the epitaxial source/drain regions 82 may
extend through the LDD regions. In some embodiments, the gate seal
spacers 80 and gate spacers 86 are used to separate the epitaxial
source/drain regions 82 from the dummy gates 72.
During the formation of the epitaxial source/drain regions 82, PMOS
regions may be masked by a mask (not shown). Referring first to
FIG. 10, a patterning process is performed on the fins 58 to form
recesses 81 in source/drain regions of the fins 58. The patterning
process may be performed in a manner that the recesses 81 are
formed between neighboring dummy gate stacks 72 (in interior
regions of the fins 58), or between an isolation region 56 and
adjacent dummy gate stacks 72 (in end regions of the fins 58). In
some embodiments, the patterning process may include a suitable
anisotropic dry etching process, while using the dummy gate stacks
72, the gate spacers 86, and/or isolation regions 56 as a combined
mask. In some embodiments, the recesses 81 may be formed having a
vertical depth between about 40 nm and about 80 nm from the top
surface of the fins 58. The suitable anisotropic dry etching
process may include a reactive ion etch (RIE), neutral beam etch
(NBE), the like, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments
where the RIE is used in the first patterning process, process
parameters such as, for example, a process gas mixture, a voltage
bias, and an RF power may be chosen such that etching is
predominantly performed using physical etching, such as ion
bombardment, rather than chemical etching, such as radical etching
through chemical reactions. In some embodiments, a voltage bias may
be increased to increase energy of ions used in the ion bombardment
process and, thus, increase a rate of physical etching. Since, the
physical etching in anisotropic in nature and the chemical etching
is isotropic in nature, such an etching process has an etch rate in
the vertical direction that is greater than an etch rate in the
lateral direction. In some embodiments, the anisotropic etching
process may be performed using a process gas mixture including
CH.sub.3F, CH.sub.4, HBr, O.sub.2, Ar, the like, or a combination
thereof. In some embodiments, the patterning process forms recesses
81 having U-shaped bottom surfaces. The recesses 81 may also be
referred to as U-shaped recesses 81, an example recess 81 of which
is shown in FIG. 10.
FIGS. 11-12 illustrate the formation of an epitaxial source/drain
region 82 within a recess 81, according to some embodiments. The
epitaxial source/drain regions 82 may include any acceptable
material, such as appropriate for n-type FinFETs. In some
embodiments, the epitaxial source/drain regions 82 are formed from
multiple epitaxial layers. In some embodiments, the different
epitaxial layers of an epitaxial source/drain region 82 may have
different compositions of semiconductor materials, different
dopants or combinations of dopants, or have different
concentrations of one or more dopants. The transitions between
different epitaxial layers of the epitaxial source/drain regions 82
may be abrupt or gradual. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the
epitaxial source/drain region 82 is shown including multiple
epitaxial layers 82A-E, which may be collectively referred to
herein as the epitaxial source/drain region 82. The epitaxial
source/drain regions 82 may have surfaces raised from respective
surfaces of the fins 58 and may have facets. In some embodiments,
an anneal process may be performed after the epitaxial source/drain
regions 82 are formed. In some embodiments, an anneal process may
be performed during formation of the epitaxial source/drain regions
82, for example, after the growth of an epitaxial layer of an
epitaxial source/drain region 82.
Turning to FIG. 11, a first epitaxial layer 82A is grown in the
recess 81. In some embodiments, the first epitaxial layer 82A is
silicon (Si), and may include other semiconductor materials such as
germanium (Ge), dopants such as gallium (Ga), carbon (C), arsenic
(As), or phosphorous (P), or other materials. For example, the
first epitaxial layer 82A may include a composition of
Si.sub.1-xGe.sub.x, where x indicates the atomic fraction of Ge,
and which may or may not be uniform throughout the first epitaxial
layer 82A. The atomic fraction x may be between about 0.001 and
about 0.05, such as about 0.005, in some embodiments. In some
cases, incorporating Ge within the first epitaxial layer 82A may
increase the solid solubility of dopants (e.g., P, As, etc.) within
the first epitaxial layer 82A, thus allowing for a higher
concentration of activated dopants (described in greater detail
below). In some embodiments, the concentration profiles of As, P,
or other dopants are not uniform throughout the first epitaxial
layer 82A. For example, portions of the first epitaxial layer 82A
that are farther from the sidewalls of the recess 81 (i.e., near
the top surface "TS") may have a higher concentration of P than
portions of the first epitaxial layer 82A that are closer to the
sidewalls of the recess 81 (i.e, near the bottom surface "BS"). As
another example, the concentration profile of As may be greatest
within the first epitaxial layer 82A and away from both the top
surface ("TS") and the bottom surface ("BS"). These are examples,
and other dopant concentration profiles are possible in other
embodiments.
The first epitaxial layer 82A may be grown as a layer covering the
surfaces of the recess 81 (e.g., conformally) and may have a
thickness on the surfaces of the recess 81 between about 0.5 nm and
about 15 nm. In some embodiments, the first epitaxial layer 82A may
be grown as multiple epitaxial sublayers. For example, the first
epitaxial layer 82A may be grown sequentially as a first sublayer,
a second sublayer, and a third sublayer. The first sublayer may be
SiGe doped with As that is between about 0.5 nm and about 10 nm
thick. The first sublayer may be grown having an atomic
concentration of Ge between about 0.1% and about 5%, and having a
concentration of As between about 1 E20 cm.sup.-3 and about 1 E21
cm.sup.-3. In some cases, the first sublayer is grown without
explicitly incorporating P, though P may subsequently diffuse into
the first sublayer, described below. The second sublayer may be
SiGe doped with As and P that is between about 1 nm and about 10 nm
thick. The second sublayer may be grown having an atomic
concentration of Ge between about 0.1% and about 5%, having a
concentration of As between about 1 E20 cm.sup.-3 and about 1 E21
cm.sup.-3, and having a concentration of P between about 1 E20
cm.sup.-3 and about 1 E21 cm.sup.-3. The third sublayer may be Si
doped with P that is between about 1 nm and about 10 nm thick. The
third sublayer may be grown having a concentration of P between
about 1 E20 cm.sup.-3 and about 2 E21 cm.sup.-3. These are
examples, and the first epitaxial layer 82A may have more
sublayers, fewer sublayers, or sublayers having different
compositions, thicknesses, or properties in other embodiments. In
some cases, dopants of other sublayers or epitaxial layers may
diffuse such that a sublayer may contain a nonzero concentration of
one or more dopants that were not explicitly incorporated during
the growth of that sublayer.
In some embodiments, the first epitaxial layer 82A is formed with
the dopants (e.g., Ge, As, P, etc.) introduced in-situ during
growth. In some embodiments, the dopant concentration profiles of
the dopants may be controlled by controlling the amounts of dopant
introduced during growth of the first epitaxial layer 82A. For
example, the first epitaxial layer 82A may be formed as SiGe having
the greatest concentration of Ge approximately coinciding with the
greatest concentration of As. In some embodiments, the first
epitaxial layer 82A is grown as undoped Si within the recess 81,
and then species such as Ge, Ga, As and/or P are implanted into the
first epitaxial layer 82A. In some embodiments, no Si is grown, and
the species are implanted into the exposed surfaces of the recess
81. An anneal process may be performed after implantation to
activate the implanted species.
Incorporating Ge into the material of the first epitaxial layer 82A
may achieve advantages. For example, the presence of Ge in Si can
increase the amount of dopants such as As or P that are activated
during an anneal process. Atoms of Ge are larger than atoms of Si,
and thus vacancies in SiGe may be larger than vacancies in Si. The
availability of larger vacancies can allow for dopants such as As
or P to more easily migrate into a vacancy site and become an
active dopant during an anneal process. Thus, the presence of Ge
can improve the solid solubility of dopants such as As or P. In
this manner, the active dopant concentration of an epitaxial layer
(such as the first epitaxial layer 82A) can be increased. In some
embodiments, Ga may be used instead of or in addition to Ge to
improve the solid solubility of dopants.
Additionally, the presence of As within the first epitaxial layer
82A can block some P atoms from diffusing into the first epitaxial
layer 82A. By doping the first epitaxial layer with As, the amount
of P atoms that are able to diffuse through the first epitaxial
layer 82A can be reduced. The diffusing P atoms may be, for
example, from P-doped epitaxial layers formed over the first
epitaxial layer 82A, such as one or more of epitaxial layers 82B-E,
described below. In some cases, P atoms that have diffused into the
fins 58 can degrade device performance, such as by worsening the
short channel effect. In this manner, the use of As in the first
epitaxial layer 82A can improve device performance by reducing
diffusion of dopants (e.g., P atoms) into the fins 58. As
described, the use of Ge with As can increase the concentration of
As, and thus the presence of Ge with As can enhance the
diffusion-blocking properties of the first epitaxial layer 82A.
Turning to FIG. 12, additional epitaxial layers 82B-E of the
epitaxial source/drain region 82 are formed according to an
embodiment. The epitaxial layers 82B-E may be formed using a single
epitaxial process or using separate epitaxial processes. The
epitaxial layers 82B-E shown are illustrative examples, and in
other embodiments the epitaxial source/drain region 82 may have
more epitaxial layers, fewer epitaxial layers, or epitaxial layers
with different compositions, thicknesses, or other properties than
described in FIG. 12. The epitaxial layers 82B-E may have different
shapes than those shown in FIG. 12. These and other variations are
within the scope of this disclosure.
In some embodiments, a second epitaxial layer 82B may be formed
over the first epitaxial layer 82A. The second epitaxial layer 82B
may, for example, be a layer of Si doped with P that has a vertical
thickness between about 5 nm and about 30 nm. In some embodiments,
the second epitaxial layer 82B may be grown having a concentration
of P between about 1 E20 cm.sup.-3 and about 3 E21 cm.sup.-3. In
some embodiments, the second epitaxial layer 82B may have a
different thickness or include different dopants or concentrations
of dopants.
In some embodiments, a third epitaxial layer 82C may be formed over
the second epitaxial layer 82B. The third epitaxial layer 82C may,
for example, be a layer of SiGe doped with P that has a vertical
thickness between about 5 nm and about 30 nm. The third epitaxial
layer 82C may be grown having an atomic concentration of Ge between
about 0.1% and about 5%. In some embodiments, the third epitaxial
layer 82C may be grown having a concentration of P between about 5
E20 cm.sup.-3 and about 5 E21 cm.sup.-3. In some cases,
incorporating Ge within the third epitaxial layer 82C may increase
the solid solubility of dopants (e.g., P, As, etc.) within the
third epitaxial layer 82C, thus allowing for a higher concentration
of activated dopants (described in greater detail below). In some
cases, incorporating Ge within the third epitaxial layer 82C may
allow for improved control of stress imparted on the fins 58 by the
epitaxial source/drain region 82. In some embodiments, the third
epitaxial layer 82C may have a different thickness or include
different dopants or concentrations of dopants. In some
embodiments, the third epitaxial layer 82C may have a different
shape, such as having surfaces that taper to a point at the bottom
of the third epitaxial layer 82C.
In some embodiments, a fourth epitaxial layer 82D may be formed
over the third epitaxial layer 82C. The fourth epitaxial layer 82D
may, for example, be a layer of Si doped with P that has a vertical
thickness between about 5 nm and about 30 nm. In some embodiments,
the fourth epitaxial layer 82D may be grown having a concentration
of P between about 5 E20 cm.sup.-3 and about 5 E21 cm.sup.-3. In
some embodiments, the fourth epitaxial layer 82D may have a
different thickness or include different dopants or concentrations
of dopants.
In some embodiments, a fifth epitaxial layer 82E may be formed over
the fourth epitaxial layer 82D. The fifth epitaxial layer 82E may
be, for example, a layer of SiGe doped with P that has a vertical
thickness between about 1 nm and about 5 nm. The fifth epitaxial
layer 82E may be grown having an atomic concentration of Ge between
about 0.1% and about 5%. In some embodiments, the fifth epitaxial
layer 82E may be grown having a concentration of P between about 5E
20 cm.sup.-3 and about 2E 21 cm.sup.-3. In some embodiments, fifth
epitaxial layer 82E may include C as a dopant with or without P. In
some embodiments, fifth epitaxial layer 82E may be grown as Si
(without Ge). In some cases, incorporating Ge within the fifth
epitaxial layer 82E may improve source/drain contacts 112 to the
epitaxial source/drain region 82A, discussed below in FIGS. 20A-B.
In some embodiments, the fifth epitaxial layer 82E may have a
different thickness or include different dopants or concentrations
of dopants.
FIG. 13 is an illustration of example dopant concentration profiles
of an epitaxial source/drain region, which may be similar to the
epitaxial source/drain region 82 described previously. FIG. 13
shows the concentration of dopants (logarithmic scale, arbitrary
units) in a silicon epitaxial source/drain region on the Y-axis and
the depth (arbitrary units) into the epitaxial source/drain region
on the X-axis. Curve 130 shows a concentration profile of Ge, curve
132 shows a concentration profile of As, and curve 134 shows a
concentration profile of P. The depth into the epitaxial
source/drain region is measured in a vertical direction from the
top surface of the epitaxial source/drain region toward the bottom
surface of the epitaxial source/drain region. For example, the
depth may be measured as indicated by "D" in FIG. 12 for the
epitaxial source/drain region 82. The epitaxial layers 82A-E are
also indicated in FIG. 13, though the indications of the epitaxial
layers 82A-E are approximate and intended to be illustrative. In
other embodiments, epitaxial layers such as epitaxial layers 82A-E
may be at different depths or have different relative sizes. In
some embodiments, other dopants than those shown in FIG. 13 or
different dopants than those shown in FIG. 13 may be present, and
dopants may have different concentrations or different
concentration profiles.
As shown in FIG. 13, the first epitaxial layer 82A includes Ge, As,
and P dopants. The Ge and As dopants each have a maximum local
concentration within the interior of the first epitaxial layer 82A.
The concentration of P within the first epitaxial layer 82A
decreases with increasing depth. The second epitaxial layer 82B
includes P, with relatively little Ge or As. The second epitaxial
layer 82B has a relatively uniform concentration of P, but in some
cases the concentration of P may decrease with increasing depth.
The third epitaxial layer 82C includes Ge and P. The concentration
of Ge has a maximum local concentration within the interior of the
third epitaxial layer 82C. In some cases, the maximum concentration
of Ge within the third epitaxial layer 82C may be greater than the
maximum concentration of Ge within the first epitaxial layer 82A.
The concentration of P within the third epitaxial layer 82C may be
greater than the concentration of P within the second epitaxial
layer 82B. In some cases, the greatest concentration of P within
the epitaxial source/drain region 82 may be within the third
epitaxial region 82C. The fourth epitaxial layer 82D includes P,
with relatively little Ge. The concentration of P within the fourth
epitaxial layer 82D may be greater than the concentration of P
within the second epitaxial layer 82B, and may be less than the
concentration of P within the third epitaxial layer 82C. In some
cases, the concentration of P within the fourth epitaxial layer 82E
may increase with increasing depth. The fifth epitaxial layer 82E
includes Ge and P. The concentration of P in the fifth epitaxial
layer 82E may be less than that of one or more of the other
epitaxial layers 82A-D. The concentration of Ge in the fifth
epitaxial layer 82E may be less than that of the epitaxial layers
82A or 82C.
As a result of the epitaxy processes used to form the epitaxial
source/drain regions 82, upper surfaces of the epitaxial
source/drain regions 82 may have facets which expand laterally
outward beyond sidewalls of the fins 58. In some embodiments, these
facets cause adjacent source/drain regions 82 of a FinFET to merge
as illustrated by FIG. 14A. In other embodiments, adjacent
source/drain regions 82 remain separated after the epitaxy process
is completed as illustrated by FIG. 14B.
After forming the epitaxial source/drain regions 82, epitaxial
source/drain regions may be formed in a PMOS region of the
substrate 50 (not shown). The epitaxial source/drain regions may be
formed by masking the NMOS region and the fins 58 in the PMOS
region are etched to form recesses in the fins 58. Then, the
epitaxial source/drain regions in the PMOS region are epitaxially
grown in the recesses. The epitaxial source/drain regions in the
PMOS region may include any acceptable material, such as
appropriate for p-type FinFETs. For example, if the fin 58 is
silicon, the epitaxial source/drain regions in the PMOS region may
include SiGe, SiGeB, Ge, GeSn, or the like. The epitaxial
source/drain regions in the PMOS region may also have surfaces
raised from respective surfaces of the fins 58 and may have facets,
or be merged. In some embodiments, epitaxial source/drain regions
are formed in the PMOS region before forming the epitaxial
source/drain regions 82 in the NMOS region.
In FIGS. 15A-B, an ILD 88 is deposited over the structure
illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 14A-B. The ILD 88 may be formed of a
dielectric material or a semiconductor material, and may be
deposited by any suitable method, such as CVD, plasma-enhanced CVD
(PECVD), or FCVD. Dielectric materials may include Phospho-Silicate
Glass (PSG), Boro-Silicate Glass (BSG), Boron-Doped
Phospho-Silicate Glass (BPSG), undoped Silicate Glass (USG), or the
like. Semiconductor materials may include amorphous Si, SiGe, Ge,
or the like. Other insulation or semiconductor materials formed by
any acceptable process may be used. In some embodiments, a contact
etch stop layer (CESL) 87 is disposed between the ILD 88 and the
epitaxial source/drain regions 82, the hard mask 74, and the gate
spacers 86. The CESL 87 may include a dielectric material, such as,
SiN, SiO, SiON, the like, or a combination.
In FIGS. 16A and 16B, a planarization process, such as a CMP, may
be performed to level the top surface of the ILD 88 with the top
surfaces of the dummy gates 72. The planarization process may also
remove the masks 74 on the dummy gates 72, and portions of the gate
seal spacers 80 and the gate spacers 86 along sidewalls of the
masks 74. After the planarization process, top surfaces of the
dummy gates 72, the gate seal spacers 80, the gate spacers 86, and
the ILD 88 are level. Accordingly, the top surfaces of the dummy
gates 72 are exposed through the ILD 88.
In FIGS. 17A and 17B, the dummy gates 72 and portions of the dummy
dielectric layer 60 directly underlying the exposed dummy gates 72
are removed in an etching step(s), so that recesses 90 are formed.
In some embodiments, the dummy gates 72 are removed by an
anisotropic dry etch process. For example, the etching process may
include a dry etch process using reaction gas(es) that selectively
etch the dummy gates 72 without etching the ILD 88 or the gate
spacers 86. Each recess 90 exposes a channel region of a respective
fin 58. Each channel region is disposed between neighboring pairs
of the epitaxial source/drain regions 82. During the removal, the
dummy dielectric layer 60 may be used as an etch stop layer when
the dummy gates 72 are etched. The dummy dielectric layer 60 may
then be removed after the removal of the dummy gates 72.
In FIGS. 18A and 18B, gate dielectric layers 92 and gate electrodes
94 are formed for replacement gates. Gate dielectric layers 92 are
deposited conformally in the recesses 90, such as on the top
surfaces and the sidewalls of the fins 58 and on sidewalls of the
gate seal spacers 80/gate spacers 86. The gate dielectric layers 92
may also be formed on top surface of the ILD 88. In accordance with
some embodiments, the gate dielectric layers 92 include SiO, SiN,
the like, or multilayers thereof. In some embodiments, the gate
dielectric layers 92 are a high-k dielectric material, and in these
embodiments, the gate dielectric layers 92 may have a k value
greater than about 7.0, and may include a metal oxide or a silicate
of Hf, Al, Zr, La, Mg, Ba, Ti, Pb, the like, or combinations
thereof. The formation methods of the gate dielectric layers 92 may
include Molecular-Beam Deposition (MBD), ALD, PECVD, or the
like.
The gate electrodes 94 are deposited over the gate dielectric
layers 92, respectively, and fill the remaining portions of the
recesses 90. The gate electrodes 94 may include a metal-containing
material such as TiN, TaN, TaC, Co, Ru, Al, combinations thereof,
or multi-layers thereof. For example, although a single gate
electrode 94 is illustrated, any number of work function tuning
layers may be deposited in the recesses 90. After the filling of
the gate electrodes 94, a planarization process, such as a CMP, may
be performed to remove the excess portions of the gate dielectric
layers 92 and the material of the gate electrodes 94, which excess
portions are over the top surface of the ILD 88. The remaining
portions of material of the gate electrodes 94 and the gate
dielectric layers 92 thus form replacement gates of the resulting
FinFETs. The gate electrodes 94 and the gate dielectric layers 92
may be collectively referred to as a "gate" or a "gate stack." The
gate and the gate stacks may extend along sidewalls of a channel
region of the fins 58.
The formation of the gate dielectric layers 92 in NMOS regions and
PMOS regions may occur simultaneously such that the gate dielectric
layers 92 in each region are formed from the same materials, and
the formation of the gate electrodes 94 may occur simultaneously
such that the gate electrodes 94 in each region are formed from the
same materials. In some embodiments, the gate dielectric layers 92
in each region may be formed by distinct processes, such that the
gate dielectric layers 92 may be different materials, and the gate
electrodes 94 in each region may be formed by distinct processes,
such that the gate electrodes 94 may be different materials.
Various masking steps may be used to mask and expose appropriate
regions when using distinct processes.
In FIGS. 19A-B, an ILD 108 is deposited over the ILD 88. In an
embodiment, the ILD 108 is a flowable film formed by a flowable CVD
method. In some embodiments, the ILD 108 is formed of a dielectric
material such as PSG, BSG, BPSG, USG, or the like, and may be
deposited by any suitable method, such as CVD, PECVD, or the
like.
In FIGS. 20A-B, a gate contact 110 and source/drain contacts 112
are formed through the ILD 108 and the ILD 88. Openings for the
source/drain contacts 112 are formed through the ILD 108 and the
ILD 88, and openings for the gate contacts 110 are formed through
the ILD 108. The openings may be formed using acceptable
photolithography and etching techniques. A liner, such as a
diffusion barrier layer, an adhesion layer, or the like, and a
conductive material are formed in the openings. The liner may
include titanium, titanium nitride, tantalum, tantalum nitride, the
like, or a combination. The conductive material may be copper, a
copper alloy, silver, gold, tungsten, cobalt, aluminum, nickel, the
like, or a combination. A planarization process, such as a CMP, may
be performed to remove excess material from a surface of the ILD
108. The remaining liner and conductive material form the
source/drain contacts 112 and gate contacts 110 in the openings. An
anneal process may be performed to form a silicide at the interface
between the epitaxial source/drain regions 82 and the source/drain
contacts 112. The contact 110 is physically and electrically
connected to the gate electrode 94, and the contacts 112 are
physically and electrically connected to the epitaxial source/drain
regions 82. FIGS. 20A-B illustrate the contacts 110 and 112 in a
same cross-section; however, in other embodiments, the contacts 110
and 112 may be disposed in different cross-sections. Further, the
positions of contacts 110 and 112 shown in FIGS. 20A-B are merely
illustrative and not intended to be limiting in any way. For
example, the contact 110 may be vertically aligned with the fin 58
as illustrated or may be disposed at a different location on the
gate electrode 94. Furthermore, the contacts 112 may be formed
prior to, simultaneously with, or after forming the contacts
110.
In accordance with an embodiment, a method includes depositing a
dummy gate over and along sidewalls of a fin extending upwards from
a substrate, forming a gate spacer along a sidewall of the dummy
gate, forming a recess in the fin adjacent the gate spacer, and
forming a source/drain region in the recess. The forming of the
source/drain region includes forming a first layer in the recess,
the first layer including silicon doped with a first concentration
of germanium and a first concentration of a first n-type dopant,
and epitaxially growing a second layer on the first layer, the
second layer including silicon doped with a concentration of a
second n-type dopant, wherein the second n-type dopant is different
than the first n-type dopant, wherein the second layer has a second
concentration of germanium that is less than the first
concentration of germanium, wherein the second layer has a second
concentration of the first n-type dopant that is less than the
first concentration of the first n-type dopant, and wherein the
first layer separates the second layer from the fin. In an
embodiment, the first layer further includes gallium. In an
embodiment, the first n-type dopant is arsenic. In an embodiment,
the second n-type dopant is phosphorus. In an embodiment, the first
layer includes the second n-type dopant, and a first concentration
of the second n-type dopant at a top surface of the first layer is
greater than a second concentration of the second n-type dopant at
a bottom surface of the first layer. In an embodiment, the method
further includes epitaxially growing a third layer on the second
layer, the third layer having a different material composition than
the first layer, the third layer including silicon doped with the
second n-type dopant. In an embodiment, the third layer further
includes germanium. In an embodiment, a concentration of the second
n-type dopant in the third layer is greater than the concentration
of the second n-type dopant in the second layer. In an embodiment,
forming the first layer in the recess includes implanting the first
n-type dopant into sidewalls of the recess.
In accordance with an embodiment, a method includes forming a dummy
gate over and along sidewalls of a fin extending upwards from a
substrate, forming a gate spacer along a sidewall of the dummy
gate, anisotropically etching a recess in the fin adjacent the gate
spacer, and epitaxially growing a source/drain region in the
recess. Epitaxially growing the source/drain region includes
growing a doped silicon layer lining the recess, the first doped
silicon layer including a germanium dopant and a first n-type
dopant, and growing a second doped silicon layer on the first doped
silicon layer, the second doped silicon layer including a second
n-type dopant that is different from the first n-type dopant,
wherein a portion of the second doped silicon layer is free of the
first n-type dopant, and replacing the dummy gate with a functional
gate stack disposed over and along sidewalls of the fin. In an
embodiment, the first doped silicon layer includes between 0.5% and
2% germanium. In an embodiment, the first n-type dopant is arsenic
and the second n-type dopant is phosphorus. In an embodiment,
epitaxially growing the source/drain region further includes
growing a third doped silicon layer on the second doped silicon
layer, the third doped silicon layer including the second n-type
dopant. In an embodiment, the third doped silicon layer further
includes a germanium dopant. In an embodiment, epitaxially growing
the source/drain region further includes growing a fourth doped
silicon layer, wherein the fourth doped silicon layer includes a
first concentration of the second n-type dopant that is greater
than a second concentration of the second n-type dopant in the
second doped silicon layer.
In accordance with an embodiment, a device includes a fin extending
from a substrate, a gate stack over and along sidewalls of the fin,
a gate spacer along a sidewall of the gate stack, and an epitaxial
source/drain region in the fin and adjacent the gate spacer. The
epitaxial source/drain region includes a first epitaxial layer on
the fin, the first epitaxial layer including silicon, germanium,
and arsenic, and a second epitaxial layer on the first epitaxial
layer, the second epitaxial layer including silicon and phosphorus,
the first epitaxial layer separating the second epitaxial layer
from the fin. In an embodiment, the epitaxial source/drain region
further includes a third epitaxial layer on the second epitaxial
layer, the third epitaxial layer including silicon, germanium, and
phosphorus. In an embodiment, the epitaxial source/drain region
further includes a fourth epitaxial layer on the third epitaxial
layer and further includes a fifth epitaxial layer on the fourth
epitaxial layer, wherein the fourth epitaxial layer includes
silicon and phosphorus, and wherein the fifth epitaxial layer
includes silicon and germanium. In an embodiment, the third
epitaxial layer, the fourth epitaxial layer, and the fifth
epitaxial layer have a concentration of arsenic that is less than
that of the first epitaxial layer. In an embodiment, the first
epitaxial layer has an atomic concentration of germanium in a range
from 0.5% to 2%.
The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments so that
those skilled in the art may better understand the aspects of the
present disclosure. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that
they may readily use the present disclosure as a basis for
designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying
out the same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of the
embodiments introduced herein. Those skilled in the art should also
realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the
spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and that they may make
various changes, substitutions, and alterations herein without
departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
* * * * *